Harold B Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I'm overcoming an algae invasion due to basically lack of thorough maitence and using pellets for each days second feeding.(= super PO4) I had a PC-4 go down and had to take my RKE offline which didn't help either. So I actually used an algicide (API) with alarmingly superior results, after 95% of the GHA was gone then the cyno started due to the available nutrients. They always kinda battled but the cyno was no match for that much GHA. So I did a 25% WC (90gal) and then did a chemi clean treatment then another 25% WC (90gal). SO NOW TEST KITS ya... I went through and tested everything I could for a good baseline to start from. I have multipal ways of testing the same element API,Elos or Hanna photometers. From time to time I would get diff results so in order to know which of these to use I did multipal tests with diff "kits". My real debocal is the Nitrate test my API says 20ppm, which under these circumstances could possibly be believable how ever my Elos says 1 (actually a bit lighter in color). When it came to ALK both API and Elos agreed at 8 dKh.(Hanna= 9.632 dKh which I tend to believe giving the Ca reactor problem the RKE induced which wont ever happen again I might add) How can the Nitrate readings be SO far apart as i've used API kits for years and thier fairly accurate IMO. Although all/most tend to have a slightly lower reading to keep people in a "saftey net" of sorts. So I'm looking for some feedback from seasoned reefers on steps/options to take or consider. Right now i'm running both sides of the BRS reactor with carbon that will be changed soon back to fresh GFO and carbon. I forgot throughout all this my PO4 went as high as 4 and is now o again thanks to rowaphos it's media bag in front of my pump. Let the advice, constructive criticsisim and general thoughts on this NITRATE testing issue Begin....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrokate Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Where do you live? I have a current LaMotte nitrate test that is reasonable to read. Hate their calcium and magnesium test, worthless to me as I can't tell when it's gone from violet to purple to bluish violet to whatever is supposedly blue... anyone want a LaMotte mag and calcium kit? Must have great color vision. Their alk test is pretty awesome, have a current one of those too. I got a bad API test kit after years of reliably using them and switched to LaMotte for some kits, but went back to API for calcium since they worked in the past and Salifert kits are spendy, had them leak in the past. I don't like Elos, their instructions are too small, some kits are fiddly (magnesium) and they were shown inaccurate when newly released though that could have been an issue they have since resolved. Every brand I have used has a weak link and some brands were just terrible but that could have been due to expired reagents. Someone gave me a massive Red Sea kit brand new from Petco as a gift and half the reagents were crystalized out of suspension, leaking, and it was comepletely inaccurate. Guessing it had sat on the shelf at the Olympia Petco for years and years before she bought it. Test kits cost way too much to be so sketchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold B Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 agreed ! I'm in Hillsboro and would like to compare to a LaMotte test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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